TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2 verses 17–26
Business is a thing that wise men have pleasure in. They are in their element when they are in their business, and complain if they be out of business. They may sometimes be tired with their business, but they are not weary of it, nor willing to leave it off. Here therefore one would expect to have found the good that men should do, but Solomon tried this too; after a contemplative life and a voluptuous life, he betook himself to an active life, and found no more satisfaction in it than in the other; still it is all vanity and vexation of spirit, of which he gives an account in these verses, where observe,
I. What the business was which he made trial of; it was business under the sun (Ecc 2:17-20), about the things of this world, sublunary things, the riches, honours, and pleasures of this present time; it was the business of a king. There is business above the sun, perpetual business, which is perpetual blessedness; what we do in conformity to that business (doing God's will as it is done in heaven) and in pursuance of that blessedness, will turn to a good account; we shall have no reason to hate that labour, nor to despair of it. But it is labour under the sun, labour for the meat that perishes (Joh 6:27; Isa 55:2), that Solomon here speaks of with so little satisfaction. It was the better sort of business, not that of the hewers of wood and drawers of water (it is not so strange if men hate all that labour), but it was in wisdom, and knowledge, and equity, Ecc 2:21. It was rational business, which related to the government of his kingdom and the advancement of its interests. It was labour managed by the dictates of wisdom, of natural and acquired knowledge, and the directions of justice. It was labour at the council-board and in the courts of justice. It was labour wherein he showed himself wise (Ecc 2:19), which as much excels the labour wherein men only show themselves strong as the endowments of the mind, by which we are allied to angels, do those of the body, which we have in common with the brutes. That which many people have in their eye more than any thing else, in the prosecution of their worldly business, is to show themselves wise, to get the reputation of ingenious men and men of sense and application.
II. His falling out with this business. He soon grew weary of it. 1. He hated all his labour, because he did not meet with that satisfaction in which he expected. After he had had his fine houses, and gardens, and water-works, awhile, he began to nauseate them, and look upon them with contempt, as children, who are eager for a toy and fond of it at first, but, when they have played with it awhile, are weary of it, and throw it away, and must have another. This expresses not a gracious hatred of these things, which is our duty, to love them less than God and religion (Luk 14:26), nor a sinful hatred of them, which is our folly, to be weary of the place God has assigned us and the work of it, but a natural hatred of them, arising from a surfeit upon them and a sense of disappointment in them. 2. He caused his heart to despair of all his labour (Ecc 2:20); he took pains to possess himself with a deep sense of the vanity of worldly business, that it would not bring in the advantage and satisfaction he had formerly flattered himself with the hopes of. Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; we must go about, must fetch a compass, in arguing with them, to convince them that there is not that in the things of this world which we are apt to promise ourselves from them. Have we so often bored and sunk into this earth for some rich mine of satisfaction, and found not the least sign or token of it, but been always frustrated in the search, and shall we not at length set our hearts at rest and despair of ever finding it? 3. He came to that, at length, that he hated life itself (Ecc 2:17), because it is subject to so many toils and troubles, and a constant series of disappointments. God had given Solomon such largeness of heart, and such vast capacities of mind, that he experienced more than other men of the unsatisfying nature of all the things of this life and their insufficiency to make him happy. Life itself, that is so precious to a man, and such a blessing to a good man, may become a burden to a man of business.
III. The reasons of this quarrel with his life and labours. Two things made him weary of them: -
1.That his business was so great a toil to himself: The work that he had wrought under the sun was grievous unto him, Ecc 2:17. His thoughts and cares about it, and that close and constant application of mind which was requisite to it, were a burden and fatigue to him, especially when he grew old. It is the effect of a curse on that we are to work upon. Our business is said to be the work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord had cursed (Gen 5:29) and of the weakening of the faculties we are to work with, and of the sentence pronounced on us, that in the sweat of our face we must eat bread. Our labour is called the vexation of our heart (Ecc 2:22); it is to most a force upon themselves, so natural is it to us to love our ease. A man of business is described to be uneasy both in his going out and his coming in, Ecc 2:23. (1.) He is deprived of his pleasure by day, for all his days are sorrow, not only sorrowful, but sorrow itself, nay, many sorrows and various; his travail, or labour, all day, is grief. Men of business ever and anon meet with that which vexes them, and is an occasion of anger or sorrow to them. Those that are apt to fret find that the more dealings they have in the world the oftener they are made to fret. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. Those that labour are said to be heavy-laden, and are therefore called to come to Christ for rest, Mat 11:28. (2.) He is disturbed in his repose by night. When he is overcome with the hurries of the day, and hopes to find relief when he lays his head on his pillow, he is disappointed there; cares hold his eyes waking, or, if he sleep, yet his heart wakes, and that takes no rest in the night. See what fools those are that make themselves drudges to the world, and do not make God their rest; night and day they cannot but be uneasy. So that, upon the whole matter, it is all vanity, Ecc 2:17. This is vanity in particular (Ecc 2:19, Ecc 2:23), nay, it is vanity and a great evil, Ecc 2:21. It is a great affront to God and a great injury to themselves, therefore a great evil; it is a vain thing to rise up early and sit up late in pursuit of this world's goods, which were never designed to be our chief good.
2.That the gains of his business must all be left to others. Prospect of advantage is the spring of action and the spur of industry; therefore men labour, because they hope to get by it; if the hope fail, the labour flags; and therefore Solomon quarrelled with all the works, the great works, he had made, because they would not be of any lasting advantage to himself. (1.) He must leave them. He could not at death take them away with him, nor any share of them, nor should he return any more to them (Job 7:10), nor would the remembrance of them do him any good, Luk 16:25. But I must leave all to the man that shall be after me, to the generation that comes up in the room of that which is passing away. As there were many before us, who built the houses that we live in, and into whose purchases and labours we have entered, so there shall be many after us, who shall live in the houses that we build, and enjoy the fruit of our purchases and labours. Never was land lost for want of an heir. To a gracious soul this is no uneasiness at all; why should we grudge others their turn in the enjoyments of this world, and not rather be pleased that, when we are gone, those that come after us shall fare the better for our wisdom and industry? But to a worldly mind, that seeks for its own happiness in the creature, it is a great vexation to think of leaving the beloved pelf behind, at this uncertainty. (2.) He must leave them to those that would never have taken so much pains for them, and will thereby excuse himself from taking any pains. He that raised the estate did it by labouring in wisdom, and knowledge, and equity; but he that enjoys it and spends it (it may be) has not laboured therein (Ecc 2:21), and, more than that, never will. The bee toils to maintain the drone. Nay, it proves a snare to him: it is left him for his portion, which he rests in, and takes up with; and miserable he is in being put off with it for a portion. Whereas, if an estate had not come to him thus easily, who knows but he might have been both industrious and religious? Yet we ought not to perplex ourselves about this, since it may prove otherwise, that what is well got may come to one that will use it well and do good with it. (3.) He knows not whom he must leave it to (for God makes heirs), or at least what he will prove to whom he leaves it, whether a wise man or a fool, a wise man that will make it more or a fool that will bring it to nothing; yet he shall have rule over all my labour, and foolishly undo that which his father wisely did. It is probable that Solomon wrote this very feelingly, being afraid what Rehoboam would prove. St Jerome, in his commentary on this passage, applies this to the good books which Solomon wrote, in which he had shown himself wise, but he knew not into whose hands they would fall, perhaps into the hands of a fool, who, according to the perverseness of his heart, makes a bad use of what was well written. So that, upon the whole matter, he asks (Ecc 2:22), What has man of all his labour? What has he to himself and to his own use? What has he that will go with him into another world?
IV. The best use which is therefore to be made of the wealth of this world, and that is to use it cheerfully, to take the comfort of it, and do good with it. With this he concludes the chapter, Ecc 2:24-26. There is no true happiness to be found in these things. They are vanity, and, if happiness be expected from them, the disappointment will be vexation of spirit. But he will put us in a way to make the best of them, and to avoid the inconveniences he had observed. We must neither over-toil ourselves, so as, in pursuit of more, to rob ourselves of the comfort of what we have, nor must we over-hoard for hereafter, nor lose our own enjoyment of what we have to lay it up for those that shall come after us, but serve ourselves out of it first. Observe,
1.What that good is which is here recommended to us; and which is the utmost pleasure and profit we can expect or extract from the business and profit of this world, and the furthest we can go to rescue it from its vanity and the vexation that is in it. (1.) We must do our duty with them, and be more in care how to use an estate well, for the ends for which we were entrusted with it, than how to raise or increase an estate. This is intimated Ecc 2:26, where those only are said to have the comfort of this life who are good in God's sight, and again, good before God, truly good, as Noah, whom God saw righteous before him. We must set God always before us, and give diligence in every thing to approve ourselves to him. The Chaldee-paraphrase says, A man should make his soul to enjoy good by keeping the commandments of God and walking in the ways that are right before him, and (Ecc 2:25) by studying the words of the law, and being in care about the day of the great judgment that is to come. (2.) We must take the comfort of them. These things will not make a happiness for the soul; all the good we can have out of them is for the body, and if we make use of them for the comfortable support of that, so that it may be fit to serve the soul and able to keep pace with it in the service of God, then they turn to a good account. There is therefore nothing better for a man, as to these things, than to allow himself a sober cheerful use of them, according as his rank and condition are, to have meat and drink out of them for himself, his family, his friends, and so delight his senses and make his soul enjoy good, all the good that is to be had out of them; do not lose that, in pursuit of that good which is not to be had out of them. But observe, He would not have us to give up business, and take our ease, that we may eat and drink; no, we must enjoy good in our labour; we must use these things, not to excuse us from, but to make us diligent and cheerful in, our worldly business. (3.) We must herein acknowledge God; we must see that it is from the hand of God, that is, [1.] The good things themselves that we enjoy are so, not only the products of his creating power, but the gifts of his providential bounty to us. And then they are truly pleasant to us when we take them from the hand of God as a Father, when we eye his wisdom giving us that which is fittest for us, and acquiesce in it, and taste his love and goodness, relish them, and are thankful for them. [2.] A heart to enjoy them is so; this is the gift of God's grace. Unless he give us wisdom to make a right use of what he has, in his providence, bestowed upon us, and withal peace of conscience, that we may discern God's favour in the world's smiles, we cannot make our souls enjoy any good in them.
2.Why we should have this in our eye, in the management of ourselves as to this world, and look up to God for it. (1.) Because Solomon himself, with all his possessions, could aim at no more and desire no better (Ecc 2:25): "Who can hasten to this more than I? This is that which I was ambitious of: I wished for no more; and those that have but little, in comparison with what I have, may attain to this, to be content with what they have and enjoy the good of it." Yet Solomon could not obtain it by his own wisdom, without the special grace of God, and therefore directs us to expect it from the hand of God and pray to him for it. (2.) Because riches are a blessing or a curse to a man according as he has or has not a heart to make good use of them. [1.] God makes them a reward to a good man, if with them he give him wisdom, and knowledge, and joy, to enjoy them cheerfully himself and to communicate them charitably to others. To those who are good in God's sight, who are of a good spirit, honest and sincere, pay a deference to their God and have a tender concern for all mankind, God will give wisdom and knowledge in this world, and joy with the righteous in the world to come; so the Chaldee. Or he will give that wisdom and knowledge in things natural, moral, political, and divine, which will be a constant joy and pleasure to them. [2.] He makes them a punishment to a bad man if he denies him a heart to take the comfort of them, for they do but tantalize him and tyrannize over him: To the sinner God gives by travail, by leaving him to himself and his own foolish counsels, to gather and to heap up that, which, as to himself, will not only burden him like thick clay (Hab 2:6), but be a witness against him and eat his flesh as it were fire (Jam 5:3); while God designs, by an overruling providence, to give it to him that is good before him; for the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just, and gathered for him that will pity the poor. Note, First, Godliness, with contentment, is great gain; and those only have true joy that are good in God's sight, and that have it from him and in him. Secondly, Ungodliness is commonly punished with discontent and an insatiable covetousness, which are sins that are their own punishment. Thirdly, When God gives abundance to wicked men it is with design to force them to a resignation in favour of his own children, when they are of age and ready for it, as the Canaanites kept possession of the good land till the time appointed for Israel's entering upon it. [3.] The burden of the song is still the same: This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. It is vanity, at the best, even to the good man; when he has all that the sinner has scraped together it will not make him happy without something else; but it is vexation of spirit to the sinner to see what he had laid up enjoyed by him that is good in God's sight, and therefore evil in his. So that, take it which way you will, the conclusion is firm, All is vanity and vexation of spirit.
"So I
turned my heart to despair of all that I had achieved by toiling under the
sun. For there is a man who laboured
with wisdom, knowledge and skill, yet he must hand on his portion to one who
has not toiled for it. This too is
vanity and a great evil. For what has a
man in return for all his toil and his stress, which he toils beneath the
sun? For all his days are painful, and
his business is a vexation; even at night his mind has no rest. This, too, is vanity!" Previously he has spoken about the uncertainty of an
heir and not knowing whether he will be foolish or wise, the master of the
works of another. But even now he seeks
the same things but this time the meaning is different, because he might leave
his wealth and labours perhaps to his son, to a neighbour, or someone he knows. Nevertheless it happens time and time again
that one man enjoys in the work of another, and "sweet toil is to the dead while pleasures are for the living." He thinks of himself as every single one and
he will see with how much toil he composes his books, how "often he turns
his pen, again he will write those things which are worthy of law" [Horat. Sat. I. 10, 72/73.],
and for the man who does not work he will give him his own share. For what good to the wealth of the earth, as
I have said clearly, are wisdom, knowledge and virtue, in which he said he had
laboured? For although he may be
virtuous, wise and knowledgeable he spurns worldly things.
Continue studying Ecclesiastes 2:21 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 2:21 articulates the Preacher's profound lament over the perceived futility and injustice inherent in human labor and achievement "under the sun." It describes a diligent, wise, and morally upright individual who invests significant effort and skill to accumulate resources, only to face the inescapable reality that the fruits of their toil must ultimately be bequeathed to someone who exerted no effort in their acquisition. From the Preacher's perspective, this unavoidable transfer of wealth and legacy is declared not merely as "vanity"—a fleeting, unsubstantial reality—but as "a great evil," encapsulating the deep sense of meaninglessness, vexation, and perceived inequity that arises when earthly accomplishments are viewed as ultimate ends.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 2:21 skillfully employs several Literary Devices to convey its somber and critical message. The verse functions primarily as a Lament or Complaint, articulating the Preacher's deep dissatisfaction with the apparent lack of ultimate justice or lasting reward in earthly life. There is a strong sense of Juxtaposition between the "man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity" and "a man that hath not laboured therein." This stark contrast highlights the perceived Irony of the situation: diligent, righteous effort does not guarantee a just or satisfying outcome in terms of legacy. The declaration "This also [is] vanity and a great evil" serves as a Rhetorical Statement, a definitive and emphatic pronouncement that encapsulates the Preacher's pessimistic conclusion. The repeated use of "vanity" (Hebel) is a recurring Motif throughout Ecclesiastes, functioning almost as a Symbol for the ephemeral, unsatisfying, and ultimately futile nature of all human endeavors when viewed apart from God. The phrase "a great evil" acts as an Intensifier, amplifying the sense of distress and injustice beyond mere futility, suggesting a profound misfortune.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ecclesiastes 2:21, while expressing a deep human frustration, serves as a profound theological statement about the inherent limitations of human effort and the ultimate futility of seeking ultimate meaning in earthly achievements alone. It challenges the common assumption that diligent work and accumulated wisdom will necessarily lead to lasting satisfaction or a just legacy. From a biblical perspective, this verse underscores the transient nature of all "things under the sun" and implicitly points to the necessity of an eternal perspective. It highlights humanity's lack of ultimate control over life's outcomes, including the destiny of one's inheritance, thereby inviting reflection on divine sovereignty and the true source of lasting value. The Preacher's lament, rather than advocating for idleness, redirects our gaze from the temporary to the eternal, from human striving to divine purpose, reminding us that true "gain" is not found in what we accumulate or leave behind on earth, but in our relationship with God and His enduring purposes.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 2:21 serves as a vital corrective to the human tendency to place ultimate hope, identity, and security in our labor, achievements, or accumulated wealth. It confronts us with the sobering reality that even the most well-intentioned, wise, and equitable efforts can feel meaningless when their fruits are beyond our control or passed on to those who did not earn them. This verse calls us to cultivate an eternal perspective, recognizing that true security and lasting significance are not found in earthly treasures, which are inherently fleeting and subject to the vagaries of life and inheritance. Instead, it encourages a posture of faithful stewardship, understanding that our talents, resources, and time are gifts from God to be used for His purposes, not merely for personal accumulation or a legacy we cannot ultimately control. Our labor, wisdom, and knowledge gain their deepest meaning when offered to God and aligned with His kingdom, rather than being pursued as ends in themselves. This perspective liberates us from the anxiety of earthly outcomes and anchors our hope in something far more enduring and truly satisfying.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean that all work is meaningless or that we shouldn't strive for excellence?
Answer: No, the Preacher is not advocating for idleness or discouraging diligent work. Rather, he is highlighting the futility of work when it is pursued as an ultimate end in itself, without reference to God. The "vanity" (Hebrew: hebel) he speaks of refers to the fleeting, insubstantial nature of earthly achievements and the lack of lasting satisfaction they provide "under the sun"—that is, from a purely human, secular perspective. The man in Ecclesiastes 2:21 is praised for his labor "in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity." The problem is not the labor itself, but the ultimate outcome and the inability to control one's legacy, which can lead to deep dissatisfaction if one's hope is solely in earthly results. The book's conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13 clarifies that the whole duty of humanity is to fear God and keep His commandments, implying that work done in this context has true and lasting meaning.
How does this verse relate to modern practices like saving for retirement or leaving an inheritance?
Answer: Ecclesiastes 2:21 offers a cautionary perspective on placing ultimate trust in financial planning or inheritance. While prudent saving and providing for one's family are biblically affirmed (e.g., Proverbs 13:22), this verse reminds us that we cannot control what happens to our accumulated wealth after we are gone, nor can we guarantee the character or diligence of those who inherit it. The Preacher's lament underscores the inherent uncertainty and the potential for perceived injustice in such transfers. It encourages us to hold earthly possessions and plans loosely, recognizing their temporary nature, and to prioritize building a spiritual legacy and investing in eternal matters, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:19-21.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ecclesiastes 2:21 vividly portrays the deep human frustration arising from the futility of earthly labor and the injustice of inheritance "under the sun." The Preacher grieves that a wise man's diligent labor is left as a "portion" to one who has not toiled. This lament finds its profound resolution and ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate "man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity," perfectly embodying divine wisdom and righteousness. Yet, in stark contrast to the earthly scenario, Christ's perfect labor, culminating in His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, earned an eternal inheritance not for Himself alone, but for all who believe. We, who were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins (as described in Ephesians 2:1-5), become co-heirs with Christ (as declared in Romans 8:17), inheriting eternal life, perfect righteousness, and a kingdom that cannot be shaken (as affirmed in Hebrews 12:28). The "vanity" and "great evil" of earthly toil's uncertain legacy are swallowed up by the glorious and certain inheritance secured by Christ's perfect, unmerited work. He is the true and lasting "portion" (as proclaimed in Psalm 16:5) for His people, offering a meaning, satisfaction, and eternal security that transcends the fleeting pursuits of this world.